Automatic valve



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AUTOMATIC VALVE Filed sept. 5, 1954 m /Vlm v QM @T MU M fm @m @im @T L V7 7 X; m j s. i; M il l@ faIL. Il d 0 W .E L Mmm i. Om w@ @E h N M m Nn N d@ N i 3fm 28g T936 A. l. LOGETTE ET Al. 2,02%,938

AUTOMATIC VALVE Filed Sept. 5, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 28, 1936 STAT@ asien AUTMATC VALVE Abraham Isaac lLogette and Edgar Harry Dainton, London, England 2 Claims.

This invention relates to valves, and more particularly to automatic air inlet and exhaust valves for use with air motors, air pumps, hydraulic lifts and other apparatus connected with coni- 51' pressed air power lines, such for example as power operated greasing and lubricating apparatus and has for its object to simplify and improve the construction and design of such valves so as to increase the durability, eciency and reliabill' ity thereof.

Automatic air inlet and exhaust Valves of the kind referred to as heretofore constructed comprise a tubular slide or plunger furnished with inlet and outlet ports which is mounted so as to l5 Work air tight in the bore of the casing and is intermittently operated by the machine or apparatus through compression-springs or other devices so that the slide or plunger is rapidly moved against the resistance of spring detents to G bring the inlet and outlet ports therein alternately into register with the air inlet and exhaust ports in the valve casing so that the cornpressed air is admitted and exhausted through the tubular piston or plunger. l The piston or plunger has to be very accurately fitted in its valve casing and is liable to seize or become damaged owing to unequal contraction and condensation caused by the expansion of the exhaust air or like motive fluid. According to the present invention the piston or plunger of an automatic air inlet and exhaust valve of the kind referred to is arranged in operable combination with independent air inlet and exhaust valves so that compressed air or like motive Huid-admitted through the inlet Valve to the Valve casing is delivered to the machine or apparatus to be controlled through the tubular piston or plunger, the exhaust air being also returned through such piston or plunger to the Valve casing from which it escapes by the independent exhaust valve controlled by such piston or plunger.

The piston or plunger together with the air inlet and exhaust valves are mounted in a easing that comprises a bore having suitably arranged inlet and exhaust ports, the piston or plunger working in the bore of the casing and being adapted to co-operate with the inlet and exhaust valves which respectively control the inlet and exhaust ports so that as the piston or plunger reciprocates in the casing the inlet valve is closed While the exhaust valve is opened, and Vice-versa.

The invention is further described with referes ence to the accompanying drawings, wherein similar references indicate like parts.

Fig. l is a fragmental longitudinal sectional View illustrating one construction of automatic air'inlet and exhaust valve in accordance with eo the present invention; Fig. 2 a cross section on the line II-II Fig. l; Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively longitudinal sectional views on a smaller scale illustrating applications of the automatic air valve shown at Fig. l, while Fig. 5 is a fragmental plan view of Fig. 4. 5

As shown in the drawings, the piston or plunger i is mounted in the bore 2 of the Valve casing 3 so as to cooperate with an independent inlet valve Il and exhaust valve 5 which respectively control an inlet port lia and exhaust port 5a l0 of the bore 2.

The inlet port Lla is disposed laterally of the bore 2 and communicates with a tubular boss 6 which is connected through a perforated screw plug l and a flanged coupling sleeve 8 to a iiexible l5 pipe line 9 leading to a source of compressed air, while the exhaust port 5a is comprised in a perforated cap it which screws on to the end of the Valve casing 3 and forms the terminal of the bore 2 thereof. 20

The inlet and exhaust Valves l and 5 each comprise a spindle of triangular cross section, (see Fig. 3) at one end of which the valve head is mounted, such valves being respectively mounted in the inlet port and exhaust port 5a so that 25 the head of each valve can seat airtight on the valve seating formed about one end of each port.

The inlet valve i is mounted in the inlet port 4a so that the head oi the valve seats airtight upon a 4seatin db formed about the inner end of the 30 inlet port, while the stem im of the valve projects through such port into the bore 2 of the valve casing. The exhaust valve 5 is mounted in the exhaust port so that the head of the valve seats airtight on the seating 5b formed 35 about the inner end of the exhaust port, through which latter the triangular valve spindle 5a: works, while the head of the exhaust valve 5 is furnished with a cylindrical pin or extension 5c that projects into the bore 2 of the valve casing. 40

The piston or plunger l is made of reduced external diameter intermediate its ends and has a bore il formed through part of its length that communicates at each end with ports l2 and i3. The intermediate portion of the piston or plunger comprises a slightly reduced section la and an adjacent section i5 which is appreciably stepped down, the shoulder it between such sections being adapted to form a cam for operating the air inlet valve as presently described, while the ports i3 5o at one end of the bore l i in the piston or plunger are formed in the step-down intermediate section E5.

The inner end la of the piston or plunger i has longitudinal grooves lb formed in the exterior thereof and has formed therein a central recess i? with which the pin or extension 5c of the exhaust valve 5 makes a sliding fit; the movement of the pin or extension 5c in such recesses is limited by a cross pin 5d which works in lateral 60 Vis slots YI8 formed in the end la of the piston or plunger, while a coiled spring 5e is mounted on the Vextension 5e between the head ofthe exhaust Valve 5. and the inner end la of the piston or plunger.

The outer end lc of'the piston or plungerfis f reduced and has one end of the piston rod i9 secured therein while the ports i2 of the bore H of the piston or plunger are formed in the reduced outer end lc thereof. The Valve casing is furnished as usual with oppositely disposed plungers 'El which are mounted in radial bores 22 in the plunger is suiiicient to overcome the resistance thereof. 4

As the piston or plunger is moved from the exhaust position shown at Fig. 3 to the inlet position shown at Fig. 1, the cam i6 in the reduced portion thereof engages the stem ofthe inlet valve VL thus opening such valve by raising the same from its seating lla while the exhaust valve 5 is simultaneously closed by the re-action of the spring 5e carried on the pin Vor extension 5c thereof.

The inlet va veV 4 is held open by the slightly reduced intermediate Ysection I4 of the piston valve, so that compressed air is admitted through the inlet port 4' past the triangular stem of the raised'inlet valve into the bore 2 of the plunger chamber from which it passes through the ports i3 to the bore Il of the piston or plunger fromV which it is delivered via the ports I3 in the reduced end Ic to the machine r apparatus on which the valve casing 3 is mounted.

As'the piston or plunger is moved tothe eX- haust position shown Fig. the slightly re` duced section i4 releases the spindle ofthe inlet valve 4 so that the latter is closed'by the air pres- Ysure, while the exhaust valve 5 is simultaneously opened by the engagement of the slots l in the inner end la of thevpiston or plunger with 'the cross'pinV 5d on the extension 5c of the vexhaust valve, so that air exhausted from the vmachine or apparatus via the piston 0r plunger Lv'y into the bore of the valve chamber escapes therefromvia the slots IbV in the end la of rthe piston or plunger through the open exhaust Valve 5, the cycle being repeated during the operation of the machine or apparatus. Y Applications of the improved automatic Valve to power operated apparatus of known kind .are illustrated at Fig. 3 and at Figs. 4 and rc` sp ectively,

' The apparatus illustrated at Fig. 3 comprises a Y Yclosed cylindrical grease container a in which a plunger or follower b works grease tight', one end of the container being connected to the com-f pressed air supply pipe 9 to' which the valve chamber 3 is connected, While its other end is c nnected through an outlet nozzle a to a high pressure delivery chamber c. l

Y The 4end of the container adjacent to its delivery nozzle a is closed by means of a removable filling cap d which is secured grease tight by Ymeans of the hand screw e mountedY in the yoke f pivoted at g tothe container, while the other end of the container is closed by a cap h furnished with an inlet nozzle h in which one end of an air pipe z' is seciured, the other end of such pipe `oeing secured in a nozzle la of the perforated screw plug 'i through which the Valve chamber'S Vis connected to the air supply pipe 9. When the container a is charged with grease the plunger or follower b therein is pushed to- Wards the end closed by the compressed airinlet cap h so thatJ compressed air enters the container a behind the piston or follower b which latter is thus driven forward in order to force the grease from the container through its outlet nozzle a.

The highv pressure delivery chamber c together Y with its inlet and outlet passages Y:i and y" are formedin a casting k which comprises an outlet nozzle k and an externally threaded boss k2.

vThe inlet and outlet passages i and 7" Vof the delivery chamber c are controlled as usual by spring controlled non-.return valves` Z and Z so that grease under pressure can be forced fpast ,the inlet valve Z into the delivery chamber c from which it is ejected under considerably 'higher pressure by means of a ram plunger p` past the outlet valve Z to the outlet nozzle which latter is connected by a perforated nipple m and coupling m toa exible delivery hose o;

The plunger p works grease tight through a gland and stuffing box c arranged on the free end of the deliverychamber c and makes a slid-v 'ing fit with the bore of the latter. Such plunger p is furnished with an enlarged tubular exten-Y sion q on which is secured a plunger qf furnished with a cup leather q2 which is adapted to reciprocate air tight in a tubular easing r against the ber c so that the piston rod VI9 of the piston or plunger projects into the tubular 'extension q of the plunger pf. The piston rod i9 is furnishedY with a head I9a, while twocoiled springs s and s are housed in the tubular extension q on opposite sides of the head iSa Vof the piston rod I 9 of theslide or piston valve. Y

The abutment for one end of the spring s' `is formed by an internal flange t' of a tubular extension t that is screwed on to the free end of the tubular extension q and serves to clamp a` Washer V14 against the cup leather qand hold theA latter in position against the plunger q' While the abutment for one end of the spring s is formed by the closed end of the tubular extension q.A When the grease is forced under pressure from thechamber a past theV inletrvalve'l into the high pressure chamber c it forces back the plunger p together its tubular extension'q so thatY the spring s the latter is corn-V pressed against the head II-la of the piston rod i9, until the compression of the springs is suiii-A cientto overcome the resistance of the spring` controlled plungers 2j and *forceY back the piston Y or plunger i into the air inlet position shown at Figrl.

The compressedfair then passesthrough the g Y lbore il of the piston Vor plunger I into the tubular casing "r' behind the Vcup leatherfq2 of the;

plunger q and thus forces back the extension q and plunger p against the pressure of the spring T, so electing grease from the chamber c under high pressure against the resistance in the outlet nozzle k from which it is delivered as usual through the perforated nipple m connected by the coupling m to a high pressure delivery hose o.

As the tubular extension q is forced back by the air pressure the spring s is released, while the spring s is compressed against the outer side of the head Eea on the piston i9 until the pressure on this spring is sumcient to overcome the resistance of the spring-controlled plunger 2l and return the piston or plunger i to the exhaust position shown at Fig. 3, the cycle of operations being repeated during the user of the lubricating apparatus.

As shown in the drawings, the plug l of the Valve casing 3 is furnished with a filter lc through which the compressed air passes before it reaches the inlet valve 3, while the container a is mounted upon castors so as to render the lubricating apparatus more easily portable.

The apparatus illustrated at Figs. 4 and 5 comprises a single acting compressed air pump arranged in combination with a high pressure delivery chamber to form a lubricating apparatus adapted for use with a grease keg or like container from which the pump delivers grease under pressure to the high pressure delivery chamber.

As shown, the high pressure delivery chamber c together vwlth the pump comprising a barrel b are mounted upon a base d adapted to cover and rest upon the open end of a grease keg or the like a so that the pump barrel b extends into the lower part of the keg, the high pressure delivery chamber c together with its associated automatic operating mechanism being mounted horizontally upon the base d, while the grease keg is mounted upon a platform a furnished with castors a2 to facilitate transport.

The upper end of the pump barrel b is secured in the base d and is closed by the housing 3 of the automatic inlet and exhaust valve, while the lower end of such barrel is furnished with a casing e in which are housed a suction inlet valve f which controls an inlet port f' and a spring controlled delivery valve g that controls an outlet port g' which leads to a delivery pipe it through which the pump barrel is connected to the high pressure delivery chamber c contained in the casting 7c.

The pump barrel is furnished with two pistons i--i which are connected together by a piston rod i2 and work grease and air tight in the pump barrel, a coiled spring j being arranged between the upper piston z" and an annular abutment y" in the lower part of the pump barrel, while the upper end oi the piston rod i2 is bor-ed out as in- I dicated at i3.

The valve casing 3 is secured on the upper end of the pump barrel b with its piston or plunger i in alignment with the pis-ton rod i2 of the pump so that the rod iQ of the piston or plunger together with the head lea extends into the tubular end i3 of the pump piston rod.

rIwo coiled springs s-s are housed in the tubular end i3 or" the pump piston rod on opposite sides of the head i2@ of the air valve rod I9, the abutment for one end oi the spring s' being formed by an internal flange t of the tubular extension t which is screwed on to the tubular end of the pump piston rod i2, while the abutment for one end of the spring s is formed by the closed end of the tubular portion i3 of the pump piston rod.

Compressed air is supplied to the housing 3 of the automatic inlet and exhaust valve on the pump barrel b and also to the housing 3m of the automatic inlet and exhaust valve arranged in connection with the high pressure delivery chamber c as already described with reference to Fig.

3, through a flexible pipe line S. Such pipe line is directly coupled to the tubular boss B of the pump air valve casing 3, the inlet side of which is connected by a branch supply pipe 9a to the inlet side of the air valve casing 3m through which the plunger of the high pressure delivery chamber c is operated described above with reference to Fig. 3.

The pump illustrated is operated by compressed air against the resista-nce of its spring 7, the reaction of which eifects the return stroke of the pump plungers 1"-1".

As the pump operates the delivery stroke of the pump plunger z' forces grease from the pump barrel past the outlet valve g through the delivery pipe h to the high pressure delivery chamber c, so operating the plunger p in the latter together with the piston or plunger of the automatic inlet and exhaust air valve connected therewith, as previously described.

On the delivery stroke of the pump the piston or plunger i of the automatic air valve arranged in the air valve casing 3 is moved into the exhaust position shown at Fig. i by the compression f of the spring s against the head 59o of the valve rod i9 in the upper part of the plunger i2.

As the pump pistons are returned by the reaction of the spring y', the spring s is compressed against the head l Sa of the valve rod it, until the compression of such spring is sufficient to move the plunger or piston i into the air inlet position against the resistance of its spring controlled detents 2i, while grease is drawn into the pump barrel b past the non-return inlet valve f, the

cycle of operations being repeated during the user or the apparatus.

What we claim is:-

1. Automatic valve and valve gear mechanism,

for pneumatic motors of the reciprocating piston type, comprising a valve casing having a laterally disposed inlet valve, and, at one end, an exhaust valve, and a plunger formed with a longitudinal bore with ports at the ends thereof, said plunger being constructed and adapted, on its instroke, to open the inlet valve and close the exhaust valve, and on its outstroke to close the inlet valve and open the exhaust valve and to provide for the passage of the air through the bore of the casing during the inlet and exhaust opn 

